 | DrEntropy (38)
03/23/2006 | This is certainly one area where America is #1. Just during the first half of the 20th Century, America saved millions of people in Europe, Russia and China from famine; the occupation and reconstruction of Japan and Germany were probably the most successful such operations in world history (Most occupations have been sordid exercises in plunder and tyranny). At home, Americans spend more on charity and more time in volunteer organizations than nearly anywhere in the world. While the American government spends little on foreign aid (most of that to Israel) this reflects not stingyness so much as post-Cold War public disengagement from foreign affairs (most people think we spend around 5% of GNP on foreign aid, when it's really less than 1%).
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